yeah, that too. The blue and white on his back blinded my recollection of his time in Chicago, Dallas and while wearing the only Maple Leaf worth cheering. Another storied career fading while wearing the blue and white (sigh).

I'm waiting for his retire date to hock his rookie card on eBay. Any takers?

And he probably shortened his career more than a couple months (years?) saving the Leafs' collective asses over the last few seasons, too. 80% of the time he's been here, he's been team MVP, and he worked hard for that.

Now nearly all those Leafs I respected and did not understand when I was young are gone, but I still reach out to them.

Of course, now Belfour's too old to be much of a goalie, and now of course he usually plays the big games alone, although most fans think he shouldn't. Like many players in Toronto where the drunken fans are beligerent in their cries, he often does not start playing until the third period. Then in the quiet post-game lockeroom, all existence fades to a being with his soul and memories and the sounds of the Big Drunken Coach and a four-man change and the hope that a prospect will rise.

Ok, now that I've finished cleaning the juice I just chortle-spewed all over the keyboard, let's all think of Eddie the Great and raise your glass. ('cause you know he's gonna steal it off the table and drink it on ya')

Speaking of creaky goalies, how's Domenic "why does everyone assume he'll get injured" Hasek doing? One thing Sens fans can learn from Eddie's last few years is what a gamble goalies like that can be. The whole team can be firing on all cylinders, but if some eccentric middle-aged man slept funny last night, your team is boned.

I remember when Belfour's back was so bad he didn't even practise, he only played games. Got the job done in the end, though.

I can't see Eddie coming back next year. He'd want to sign with a contender and nobody would pin their hopes on a wonky back. Despite Belfour's play against my Sens last year, I've always liked Eddie the Eagle. It's possible I still have his Upper Deck rookie card, back when... he wore an Osgood-style mask?

One thing Sens fans can learn from Eddie's last few years is what a gamble goalies like that can be.

I think they knew that going in, hence why they got Hasek for such a cheap price.

And I doubt they look at Hasek as a long term thing.

The real lesson is don't sign a goalie in his late 30's, who has a history of back problems and needs surgery, to a $6 million a year contract.

I would've thought this was obvious, but apparently not.

The whole team can be firing on all cylinders, but if some eccentric middle-aged man slept funny last night, your team is boned.

While this is true, was this lesson learned by the Leafs? At what point were they ever firing on all cylinders? Belfour, as bad as he played this year on a lot of nights, is not the reason the team is where they are.

I think the Leafs will stick with Telqvist next season, maybe bring in a veteran backup, someone like a Roloson, depends on who's available but I don't think they'll bring in a starting goalie. They have pretty good depth in the minors for Goalies. You got Aubin and Racine and the other one who played in the Juniors, name escapes me.

I think the leafs need to focus on building up their offense and bring a little more grit to the team like they had with Roberts.